Structural studies of the development of infection structures of cowpea rust, Uromyces phaseoli var. vignae. I. Nucleoli and nuclei

Abstract

Light microscopical observations of living germ tubes and infection structures of cowpea rust were combined with an ultrastructural study to show that a nucleolus was present in the interphase nucleus at all stages of development from uredospore germination through to new uredospore formation. Vacuolate nucleoli were common in germ tubes but only nonvacuolate nucleoli were observed at other stages of fungal development. When grown on oil-containing collodion membranes, germinating uredospores, germ tubes, appressoria, and infection hyphae without haustorial mother cells all contained nucleoli composed primarily of nongranular material. Predominantly granular nucleoli were observed in developing uredospores and all parasitic stages in the leaf after the formation of the first haustorial mother cell. However, the fact that granular nucleoli were also seen in a membrane-grown infection hypha after haustorial mother cell formation suggested that the host was not required to stimulate the resumption of nucleolar activity. Electron-opaque patches, presumed to be condensed chromatin, were most prominent in the nucleoplasm of haustorial mother cells and virtually absent in germinating uredospores and germ tubes. The significance of this observation is discussed. A reduction in nuclear volume was observed in living material prior to cytokinesis in the appressorium and the substomatal vesicle. Evidence suggested that this reduction was produced by the expulsion of part of the nucleoplasm, plus the nucleolus, during mitosis rather than before as suggested for other rusts. Nuclei of haustorial mother cells and haustoria were also smaller than those in intercellular hyphae but the mechanism by which this was achieved could not be determined.